Transition Towns Forum: Last 35 Posts

richnos98 on "Info/advice wanted on 'honouring the elders'"

richnos98 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:39:08 +0000

Hi there,

We're in the early stages of running an 'honouring the elders' project in Cardiff, Wales.

I'd really welcome any advice on this, especially from anyone who has run a similar project elsewhere.

In particular I'd love to get hold of some figures, comparing current household energy consumption, oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions with those of the typical home in the first half of the 20th century...can anyone help?

Cheers,

Rich

debsieloe on "Transitie in Gent"

debsieloe — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Een paar interessante activiteiten (met dank aan Trui!)

* Forum Ecologie in de grondwet, et alors? Donderdag 4 december 20u Geuzenhuis Gent
http://www.oikos.be/component/content/article/37-actueel/64-forum-ecologie-in-de-grondwet-et-alors

* Het congres: 'De Cultural Creative geeft zich bloot', op 12 december om 9.30 u in het station van Antwerpen Centraal.
http://www.bioforum.be

* De omslag: Tweede Conferentie over Duurzame en Solidaire Economie - 16 januari 2009 Provinciehuis Antwerpen
http://www.economischegroei.net/index.php?topic=antwerpen2009&style_id=0

jo on "The Reality Show - Peak Oil, Climate Change, economic meltdown. Oxford, 9th Dec"

jo — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:55:50 +0000

Small Pond Theatre presents:
The Reality Show: Peak Oil, Climate Change and Economic Meltdown

Tuesday Dec 9th 7.30-9.30pm

An evening of live, improvised theatre. Directed by Jonny Hoskins

After a brief introduction members of the audience will be invited to share their experiences, and then see them brought to life before their very eyes.

Co-direct your own show or just sit back and relax, while we enact people's real-life dramas and eco-fantasies. Jeer at George Bush in the dock! Cry at yourself in the Tesco queue! Thrill to the spectacle of your dreams coming true. Whatever the audience brings to the event, that is what you will see on stage (with an extra twist).

Venue: Friends Meeting House, 43 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LW.

Supported by Oxfordshire ClimateXchange

£4 (£3 concs). For more info please phone 07703 368251 or email jonnyhoskins@yahoo.co.uk

andylang49 on "IS THIS THE PLACE TO GET HELP FOR A BIG PROJECT?"

andylang49 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:03:15 +0000

We did some work on a similar concept for the little town of Hohenwald in Tennessee, USA during the recent financial permaculture course there - see this link for the documents we generated, some of which could be good background for you and your group ...sorry I don't know the coded way of presenting a link so you'll have to cut and paste it the old fashioned way!

http://financialpermaculture.practivist.org/index.php?title=Image:Team_-_Farm_and_Food.zip

LindaWinn on "IS THIS THE PLACE TO GET HELP FOR A BIG PROJECT?"

LindaWinn — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:57:48 +0000

Transition Llambed is just beginning to explore the possibility that we could - by thinking very big for a town of fewer than 5,000 folk - make radical changes by somehow having a hand in what happens to the current Somerfield Supermarket. The other supermarket in town, the Co-op, has to sell off some of the Somerfield stores it now owns.

We don't really know where to start...but feel it is too good an opportunity not to at least have a go at grabbing the chance to create a community market/space for food, arts and crafts, skills and learning and all things sustainable.

We are finding out who to talk to at the Co-op...the rest is just whispy stuff that we need to somehow ground into a viable business plan.

HELP, PLEASE!

Philralph on "Travel less, connect more?"

Philralph — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:52:39 +0000

I've just noticed (what to me at least is) a fascinating discussion on the Transition Towns NZ site
http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/node/1230
Approaches to a National Transition Strategy

I guess such questions won't be everyone's cup of tea, but personally I think its great that someone is at least starting this kind of debate

SteveAtkins on "Surfing the web and hosting websites - 100% green energy..."

SteveAtkins — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:09:50 +0000

Thanks : )

I've yet to find a hosting company that runs on 100% renewable energy AND plants trees.
If anyone wants to check out a '100% renewable energy hosted website' please visit: http://www.transitiontowndorchester.org

Has anyone got any recommendations for 100% renewable energy ISP's (Internet Service Providers) ??...

marcusperrin on "Polar Bear Song....."

marcusperrin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:19:44 +0000

Maybe a bit late for the xmas number one!

Check out Tom Rugg's (Chepstow Comprehensive School, Wales) 'Polar Bear Song'

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mXe05vgVZmo&feature=related

Philralph on "Travel less, connect more?"

Philralph — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:31:40 +0000

Hi all, as a contribution to the second BarcampUKGovweb (Jan 31 09 - BarcampUKGovweb09 http://barcamp.org/BarcampUKGovweb09 )

I'm offering to facilitate a discussion on how to meet the need to travel less, for environmental and resource reasons, whilst at the same time realizing opportunities to get even more and better connected.

If anyone from these forums has any ideas, comments, questions re this topic that you'd like to share, I've set up a page on the Sustainable Community Action wiki http://sca21.wikia.com/wiki/BarcampUKGovweb09

and would be delighted to hear from you, either there, here or wherever else you might want to point to.

Cheers, Phil Green

PeterT on "buisiness plan/prospectus for community wind projects"

PeterT — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:06:08 +0000

I am part of voluntary a group on the Isle of Man that is promoting community wind projects. In particular we are trying to encourage local football, rugby, golf clubs etc. to see them as source of income and a way to reduce carbon.

Can anyone share experience of setting up similar projects and/or provide a simple business plan that was used by the clubs.

benbrangwyn on "Good practice for groups"

benbrangwyn — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:42:13 +0000

There've been a number of requests for guidelines around what ground rules could help to set a useful background for all of us in making our groups function well. Sophy Banks (co-founder of Transition Training) and Peter Lipman (Transition City Bristol member) have come up with the following document as a start point:

|-- Good Practice for Groups" --|

We'll update the document based on feedback from this forum, from the conferences and from what we learn in our own groups.

--------------------------------
Posted on behalf of Peter Lipman

stephbradleytransitionnetworkorg on "lift offered from Derby or within 10 miles S/SW to Nottingham"

stephbradleytransitionnetworkorg — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:09:52 +0000

I'll happily give anyone a lift from Derby or within 10 miles south of Derby or south-west Nottingham.
trugsATbtopenworld.com
01332 862028.
Graham Truscott

DavidTudgey on "Lift needed from Bristol to Nottingham for conference:)"

DavidTudgey — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:34:33 +0000

Hi, i'm looking for a spare seat from Bristol to Nottingham, happy to pay towards fuel costs.Thanks Dave: 07770326019

datumpoint on "Surviving total financial meltdown - Co-ordinated emergency response..."

datumpoint — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:41:04 +0000

Emergency planning,

well, I do not think that we can plan for an emergency (pointed out in the crystal ball syndrome in an earlier blog) you can however, prepare in many ways to ASSIST ones way through an emergency scenario: extreme weather systems etc.... the list is not pleasant, but it is there.

Perhaps Key to this is an education and understanding of existing structures that cover this remit that are already in place.

there are often (not always) Local emergency plans at your local council building there are definatly County emergency plans, you have your Local Resilience Forum (LRF)
Resilience U.K and the Civil Contingency Plan.

For whoever is at all interested in this subject these pointers would be your first port of call. Chomp through the literature see what you think.

All the climate science points to some form of contention in our global climate, recent weather systems have stretched the Emergency Services to their limit. Global populations placing pressure on resource provision and the resulting affect that has on economic structures/world trade which in turn is affecting our daily lives.

" of the many consideration in emergency planning are: (not suprisingly) learning from past mistakes and to also consiuder into the equation (and this is a hard one)Worst Case Scenario???!!!

2 years ago in Tewekesbury and cheltenham and the torrential rains the had to endure The emergency services were hours away from evacuating the whole area,some people affected are still unable to move into there damaged properties.

Ottery St mary in Devon just recently and the flash storm that hit there.

2 examples that displayed practical disfunction with our emergency response mechanisms (through no fault of their own). The resulting situation is being scrutinised and ammended by national and local government and Community resilience is big on the list.

Community resilience, sounds familiar?
AND THIS I THINK IS THE MOST INTERESTING POINT
Not only will a resilient community have a better chance to stand up to an emergency scenario

A resilient community by its very nature, has a more efficient internal resource procurement structure and sustainability remit, which will also go along way to comit to the desperatly hoped for 80% emission cuts by 2050.

THE EMERGENCY SCENARIO MAY WELL SEEM OVERWEALMING, But it really is not, it is just a really important humanitarian function, just looking at and undertaking some of the simplest things will make the world of difference.

To date I would definatly question,not the VALIDITY of the given emergency structure, but the PRESENT ABILITY of it to contend with the many problems that arise in such situations.

Locally isolated situations like the ones i mentioned earlier are hard enough to contain.

Regional scale situations are a whole new kettle of fish to entertain?!!!

I believe that both of these would fare much better in overall response ability if the local community itself was to take on some of the understanding and implications listed in the emergency plans.

At the moment this responsibility is primarily on the fire service.

Their abilities are down to numbers that may, depending on the type of situation, be overstretched.

WE have been working on this for a year now in partenership with our local council and a flood warden scheme, it is all voluntary work to date.

WE have had some grant money for training and equipment.

The information and education on looking at the vulnerabilities and strengths of our town and its surrounding area have been most revealing and usefull to the whole education process associated to TT type initiatives.

If any one is at all interested, keep posting and we can work on with furthur ideas.

cheers THeo

chris on "Local Money"

chris — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:48:06 +0000

The "stunning example" text above appears to have been plagiarised from this 2002 article, Wörgl's Stamp Scrip – The Threat of a Good Example? by Martin Oliver:

http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v105/__show_article/_a000105-000002.htm

I haven't followed up the resources this article links to.

The book that the post at the start of this thread cited also looks very interesting...

datumpoint on "Twenty first century crafting"

datumpoint — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:43:52 +0000

in that fertile form, such resulting communication, can transport us across the "boundries of limitation" and fullfill where there is lacking, offering potential to all who would enquire ....who knows... to then step into ourselves and come out with confidence in the education and realisations, mind-hand to eye coordination and the execution of a will of unlimited connections.

If welders and hedgelayers are not artists, then there is an art to them as in any Craft, all trades and guilds define themselves, but do not seperate them apart.

As all things are connected and craft is on the cards.

as to if it is a waste of resources,or time ? I guess that would entirely depend....

datumpoint on "Fundamental decision - hosting centrally or decentralized"

datumpoint — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:27:49 +0000

Globalised localisation, centralised decentralisation. Microcosm Macrocosm

I would guess that one has to utilise whatever is available for us to network information first at a local level, then to influence the global community and back again. "Ethically" sourced may well b 'preferable' but to date unviable?

I also guess by natural progression we will achieve what is possible.

I would also suppose that 'By Any Means Necessary' if it is coming to the choice between inertia (with respect to survival)and an ethical code break, may stretch the boundries somewhat.

If we are in for a penny we are in for a pound, the TT movement is global and utilises global structures and i imagine will do for some time.

I do not quite know if I actually aided the situation here but......????

alexmichelsen on "Lift share from Bristol"

alexmichelsen — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:41:25 +0000

Is anybody going to the conference from Bristol with a spare seat in their car - happy to share fuel costs!
Alex 07792 632 329

svenja on "lift wanted from glasgow"

svenja — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:23:35 +0000

hello, hello, please help!

looking into transport down to nottingham from glasgow either wednesday after 3pm or thursday very early - if someone would go down from there or nearby (edinburgh?) and could offer me a lift that would be amazing! may struggle to come otherwise.

please get in touch - email ajnevs@gmail.com

many thanks,

svenja

tomk on "Fundamental decision - hosting centrally or decentralized"

tomk — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:31:20 +0000

Gary's suggestion sounds very good. I feel decentralised is the way forward. And just to rephrase Gary's words, the decentralised system could reflect the structure of the underlying "internet" with nodes connecting seamlessly together, offering resilience and flexibility.

When one is surfing the net how often is one aware of jumping from server to server? (only by the design and the URL change)

Lucia on "lift offered from Torquay Thursday morning"

Lucia — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:29:59 +0000

Hi
we are two students in Bristol wanting to get there... would bristol be on your way at all? We of course will share petrol money. Thankyou

Rachh on "lift offered from Torquay Thursday morning"

Rachh — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:24:44 +0000

can offer 1-2 people a lift from Torquay on Thursday morning - happy to pick up along the way.

Louis on "Twenty first century crafting"

Louis — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:46:07 +0000

I think that the world that we hope to enter into would be a place where the deep resources of human imagination, spirit, creativity etc etc is in a electricifyingly fizzcrackling sparkflying dynamic relationship with the specific places where we live, with the earth we grow our food on, the wind and sun and all the technological wizardry inbetween that can supply our energy, the people around us we live with and share work with and play with ...

It's in that meetingplace of mind and OUR WORK IN THE WORLD where we cannot function without the magic resource that craft and aesthetic form provides - without a space that has been crafted by sensual sensitivity - like curves that guide your eyes pleasantly around, fantastical and inspiring details that surprise you around corners and tucked into special nooks - without a SPACE FOR THE MIND to feel like it has an enthused soundtrack to activate the scenes it needs to imagine and create and break through the stagnation that inevitably settles over our thoughts... without costumes and masks and dazzling backdrops - how can we hope to weave the grand adventure plot that would sweep up the masses of people we want to?

Creativity for me is like the microbacterial life and soil organisms that creates a fertile environment for productivity. And craft is what we need to use to keep our spirit of creativity crawling with fertility.

bobthorp on "Lift offered Keighley to Notts"

bobthorp — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:40:11 +0000

Anyone like to share a lift (and cost) from Keighley on the 27th? We're running on chipfat!

Bob

datumpoint on "Twenty first century crafting"

datumpoint — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:17:11 +0000

Craft is craft, we have always done it and always will (all willing!) sure it is fun and frustrating and monotonously labourious at times but hey... sounds like life itself

We run a crafty type chalk drilling, sawing and carving workshop at gatherings an fetes etc... Chalk carving a little abstract, but it involves history, geology, anthropology,biology,ancient modern an future tecnology....???!!! so many conspiring and complementing, conbobulating complexities. all coming together in one chalky moment??

Not to forget copioious amounts of dust and random holy, holey sculptures, paintings, blacksmiths and beings, being crafty humanitarians....weave on all crafters its a big one!!

Aeileish on "Twenty first century crafting"

Aeileish — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:38:51 +0000

Hi,
I've just joined this forum. I think crafting is a great place to start to make this a better and sustainable place to live. Sewers are thrifty people. They mend clothes and other textiles. Knitters re-use wool and odds and ends of yarn. Patchwork was the original thrift craft, using up every scrap of fabric. If you need to feel you are helping others knit squares for blankets to be sent wherever they are needed. Make quilts using thin old blankets for the filling and donate them to a suitable cause. As for the WI, well I think they are wonderful for learning and doing all sorts of amazing things (not that I'm a member!). I hope with the way things are going there will be a lot more groups working together to make the transition.

chris on "Local Money"

chris — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:07:52 +0000

We should probably have a Transition Money board here.

What do people make of this:

-------------------------------------

A stunning example

In the past, money systems without interest on a small scale existed in various forms, with varying success. They still exist today. The success of natural money will depend heavily on the rules of the system. The most stunning success story is the Wörgl currency.

On July 5th 1932, in the middle of the Great Depression, the Austrian town of Wörgl made economic history by introducing a remarkable complimentary currency. Wörgl was in trouble, and was prepared to try anything. Of its population of 4,500, a total of 1,500 people were without a job, and 200 families were penniless. The mayor, Michael Unterguggenberger, had a long list of projects he wanted to accomplish, but there was hardly any money with which to carry them out. These included repaving the roads, streetlights, extending water distribution across the whole town, and planting trees along the streets.

Rather than spending the 40,000 Austrian schillings in the town’s coffers to start these projects off, he deposited them in a local savings bank as a guarantee to back the issue of a type of complimentary currency known as 'stamp scrip'. This requires a monthly stamp to be stuck on all the circulating notes for them to remain valid, and in Wörgl, the stamp amounted 1% of the each note’s value. The money raised was used to run a soup kitchen that fed 220 families.

Because nobody wanted to pay what was effectively a hoarding fee, everyone receiving the notes would spend them as fast as possible. The 40,000 schilling deposit allowed anyone to exchange scrip for 98 per cent of its value in schillings. This offer was rarely taken up though.

Of all the business in town, only the railway station and the post office refused to accept the local money. When people ran out of spending ideas, they would pay their taxes early using scrip, resulting in a huge increase in town revenues. Over the 13-month period the project ran, the council not only carried out all the intended works projects, but also built new houses, a reservoir, a ski jump, and a bridge. The people also used scrip to replant forests, in anticipation of the future cash flow they would receive from the trees.

The key to its success was the fast circulation of scrip within the local economy, 14 times higher than the schilling. This in turn increased trade, creating extra employment. At the time of the project, Wörgl was the only Austrian town to achieve full employment.

Six neighbouring villages copied the system successfully. The French Prime Minister, Eduoard Dalladier, made a special visit to see the 'miracle of Wörgl'. In January 1933, the project was replicated in the neighbouring city of Kirchbuhl, and in June 1933, Unterguggenburger addressed a meeting with representatives from 170 different towns and villages. Two hundred Austrian townships were interested in adopting the idea.

At this point, the central bank panicked, and decided to assert its monopoly rights by banning complimentary currencies. The people unsuccessfully sued the bank, and later lost in the Austrian Supreme Court. It then became a criminal offence to issue 'emergency currency'.

Unterguggenberger was opposed to both communism and fascism, championing instead what he referred to as 'economic freedom'. Therefore, it was deeply ironic that the Wörgl experiment was first branded 'craziness' by the monetary authorities, then a communist idea, and some years later as a fascist one.

The town went back to 30% unemployment. In 1934, social unrest exploded across Austria. In 1938, when Hitler annexed Austria, he was welcomed by many people as their economic and political saviour.

The 1920's had already seen a scrip currency called the 'wara' in the German town of Schwanenkirchen. This saved the town's economy and kept a coal mine operating. It started circulating more widely, and became part of a movement called 'Freiwirtschaft' (Free Economy), based on the ideas of the economist Silvio Gesell.

Central to Gesell's ideas was the use of a hoarding fee of the kind used in Wörgl (technically known as 'demurrage'). The soundness of such an idea was affirmed by John Maynard Keynes in his 1936 work 'General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money'.

The success of the Wörgl currency inspired the well known American economist Irving Fischer to write an article which was published nationwide. Many towns copied the idea. The Americans however used a far higher tax rate (2% a week instead of 1% a month) which undermined the confidence in the stamp scrip currencies. President Roosevelt abandoned the idea completely in the New Deal. It is therefore very important to do this the right way, otherwise it will become a failure.

Perhaps the most groundbreaking feature of demurrage is that it is intrinsically anti-inflationary. Whereas conventional currencies are progressively devalued by interest, anti-inflationary money steadily increases in value. As each monthly stamp is added, the value of the note effectively increases by the stamp amount. This is technically equivalent to a negative interest rate.

The present short-term focus of investments, and the consequent lack of long-term vision are exacerbated by interest-driven currency devaluation that, from a profit perspective, reduces the appeal of longer-timescale projects. The use of a demurrage currency gives an edge to those working for sustainability, because a rate of return is achieved simply by lending out money. When money is repaid (remember these are non-interest currencies), it will have increased in value owing to the money saved by having avoided paying the monthly demurrage fees. This has the potential to enable investment in highly beneficial but economically marginal activities such as earth repair.

A recommended book that covers scrip currencies and more fully explains this 'negative interest' principle is Bernard Lietaer's 'The Future of Money'. In case the ending of the Wörgl story was disempowering, it must be said that the number of complimentary currencies around the world is undergoing an exponential growth. As of 2000, there were more than 2,500 in operation.

naturalmoney.org

-------------------------------------

And also from the same article (one typo corrected):

-------------------------------------

For example: you want to build a house and you have the choice between a house of € 100,000 with a yearly energy cost of € 5,000 or a house of € 200,000 with a yearly energy of € 2,000. When the interest rate is 10 percent, the cost for a cheap house with high energy consumption is as follows: € 10,000 interest plus € 5,000 energy is € 15,000 per year. The expensive house with low energy costs: € 20,000 interest plus € 2,000 energy is € 22,000 per year. If you do not have to pay interest, the expensive house with low energy cost will be cheaper.

chris on "Fundamental decision - hosting centrally or decentralized"

chris — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:03:51 +0000

That sounds good to me.

chris on "meet at Transition Cities conference?"

chris — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:59:36 +0000

I'll be there.

For Sheffield we have, so far, a pick and mix of applications, Drupal for the front page and news, Mailman for lists, phpBB for discussion, Mediawiki for the wiki and I'm also pondering using PHP WebCalendar for events.

http://www.transitionsheffield.org.uk/

I think the setup of the virtual and physical servers running the application(s) is also a matter that should be considered.

esther on "Transitie in Gent"

esther — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:31:11 +0000

Interessant! Time-banking als antwoord op de financiële crisis en als gemeenschapsvormend... Zie http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/newwealth121108.aspx

perrinlou on "please, lift wanted from London thursday morning"

perrinlou — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:14:37 +0000

Hi,
That would be great if I could go with someone who is going by car from London thursday morning for coming back on friday or saturday.
Here is my email adress : perrinlou@yahoo.fr

Thanks so much,

Lou

bryonywilford on "Lift from York to Notts wanted (& accommodation?)"

bryonywilford — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:10:52 +0000

Hi,

Having only recently confirmed that I am able to come to the Transition Cities conference I am still on a very tight budget so before buying train tickets I thought I would ask if anyone is travelling down to Nottingham from anywhere near York, or further afield that you would be passing by on the morning of Thurs 27th Nov (I cannot head down the previous evening due to an event in York). I am located just off the southern ring-road of York so it would not be a long detour to pick me up, and I would obviously contribute to fuel costs. I would also need a lift back after the close of the conference.

Also, I have requested private home-stay accommodation from the conference organisers themselves for the night of 27th-28th Nov, but do not know whether this is still available at this late stage. If anyone has a spare bed or floor space for this one night, or a knows friend in Nottingham with either of these then I would be very grateful. I am female and used to going camping so could bring a sleeping bag & camping mat, and I'm quite hardy/un-fussy.

Many thanks in anticipation,

Bryony

garyalex on "meet at Transition Cities conference?"

garyalex — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:24:56 +0000

Hi folks,

Is anyone else going to the Transition Cities Conference in Nottingham next week? It would also be a good place for several of us to meet to plan how we will be proceeding with the software platform.

I'm going, largely because it is a big gathering place of transitioners and would be a good place to get views about the software platform. I'll try to ensure that the survey is live by then, and get people to complete it and also get their views more informally.

Hope to see some of you there. Please let me know if you will be there.

Yours,

Gary

datumpoint on "energetic needs for energy descent?"

datumpoint — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:11:45 +0000

Is anyone, has any one, done an audit specific to their TT area, assessing the (base) energetic requirements necessary to fullfill provisional primary resource requirements to the local area population and infrastructures?

This is somthing that I/we have been working on and mulling over for some time.

Any ideas out there or examples that we could share, may be usefullas This type of data is surely relevant?

Pieter on "Transitie in Gent"

Pieter — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:44:58 +0000

Hallo daar,

Dit is (voorlopig althans) het eerste forum rond Transitie in Gent.

Posten maar!